A Guide to the Bodhisattva's Way of Life, The 37 Practices of A Bodhisattva and Nagarjuna's The Fundamental Wisdom; 14-August-2006 (Day 1 of 5; Morning) - Dalai Lama Audio Teachings on Tibetan Buddhism Podcast

Following customary greetings His Holiness the Dalai Lama confirms that he intends to teach the 9th Chapter of Shantideva’s Guide to the Bodhisattva’s Way of Life, certain chapters from Nagarjuna’s Fundamental Wisdom of the Middle Way, and for the practical element, Thogme Sangpo’s 37 Practices of a Bodhisattva. His Holiness clarifies that of the major religious traditions to have emerged over the last 3000 years, Buddhism is a tradition that employs reason to support faith. A key to this is that the happiness we seek is related to our understanding of reality, whereas all suffering is related to ignorance. He remarks that while the Buddha’s teachings were preserved in India in the Pali and Sanskrit languages, both traditions were studied and preserved at Nalanda University and Tibet was heir to the Nalanda tradition. Although there were ancient links between Tibet and Korea, they lapsed, so it is encouraging that since the end of the last century they have been revived. The intent of these teachings on wisdom is to understand the disparity between appearance and reality.